Self-winding clock mechanism



C. E. B0lLLOT.

SELF WI-NDING CLOCK MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12,1919.

1,416,254. 1 j Patented May 16, 1922.

INVENTOR,

ME/2w Mm V UNITED STATES crmnnns E. BoILLor, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

SELF-'WINDING CLQCK MECHANISM.

7 v 1 Application filed July 12,

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. B orpno'r, residing at Brooklyn, inthe'county of lungs and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements 1n SelflVinding Clock Mechanism, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to self-w nding clocks, and one of. the objectsof the invention is to provide new and improved means whereby a clockwill automatlcally w nd 1t-. self at predetermined intervals.

A further object ofthe invention is to provide a construction such thatthe operationof the self-winding mechanism s substantially noiseless. I

Other objects and aims of the invention, more or less specific thanthose referred to above, will be in partobvions and in part pointed outin the course of the following description of the elements,comblnations, arrangements of parts and apphcations ofprinciples,constituting the lnventlon, and the scope of protectioncontemplated will be indicated in theappended claim.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein I have illustrated a preferredform of embod1- ment of my invention:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a portion of a clock mechanismequipped with my invention. i a

Figure .2 is a similar view showing the opposite side of the mechanismiirom that illustratedinFigure 1; and

Figure 3 is an end elevational view showing the manner of supporting theoperating electro magnet. b v

Referring now to the drawings, wherein. similar reference charactersrefer to similar parts throughout the several views thereof, thereference numeral 1 denotesthe casing of a clock, and 2 denotes awallwhich is carried interiorly of the casing 1 of the clock. 3denotes aframe, which is suitably carried by the wall 2, being mounted thereon asby means of the screws 4. 5 denotes generally the clock-work mechanismwhich need not be specifically described, inasmuchas that shown is ofthe conventionaltype. I It consists of the usual escapement mechanism 6,balance wheel 7, the gear wheel 8, to the shaft ,9 of which may beattached one of the hands of the clock, all of. said chain. of mechanismbeing driven by the main spring 10, one end of which isconnected withthe gear wheel 11, and the other wlth a fixed Specification of LettersPatent.

the frame 3,

1919. Serial No. 310,389.

support; the gearwheel 11 meshing with a gear wheel 12 (shown in dottedlines in Fi s mechanism, will operate the hands of the clock. a

Journalled upon the shaft of the ratchet wheel 12, is a lever 15,andnear the upper part of this lever is provided a pawl 16,spring-pressed into engagement with the teeth17'of the ratchet wheel 14,as of the spring 18. Pivotally connected with the upperend of the lever15, at 19, is a link 20, the opposite end of which is pivotallyconnected at 21 with an arm 22 fixedly mounted upon the shaft 28, whichshaft has also fixed thereto armatures, one of which is shown at 24. Thearmatures 2% have the arc-shaped heads 25, which co-operate with thecores 26 of the electromagnets 27 andQS. These electromagnets aresupported as by means of a bracket 29,'carried upon the frame 3. Theends of the cores 26 are formed upon the arc of a circle,,as shown at30, which are corresponds with the arcshaped heads 25 of the armatures 21.

Thus it will be seen that when the electromagnets 27 are energized, thearmatures 2 1 will be swung toward the cores, whereby the arm 22,through its connection with the link 20, will swing the lever 15,wherebythe pawl 16 will rotate the ratchet wheel 14;,thereby winding upthe main spring. A retrograde movement of the ratchet wheel 14: is preevented, as by means of the springpressed pawl-31. I

Mounted upon the shaft 32 of: thegear wheel 11, and fixed thereto, is awheel or disk 33, upon the periphery of which "is adapted to bearthefree end of a brush 34:, the latter consisting of a spring carried uponablock 35, formed of insulating said block being suitably mounted frame3. i

Extending through a block 36, formed of insulating material, likewisecarried upon is a screw-threaded contact member 37, the latter beingthreaded into upon the the block so that the same may be adjusted,

whereby the position of the contact point 38'1nay be varied at will. i

material,

Patented May 1 ,1922.

by means The contact point 38 cooperates with contact point 39, carriedupon the free end oi." the arm at) the ip msile end ot which. is carried by the arr l. 215.

'llnis it will. be seen that when the elect-romagnets 557 are energized,drawing the heads i T ll the armaturesflt toward the cores 26, thecontact points 38 and 3.) will be sepa rated, which operation ashereinafter described, will brealt the circuitthrough the electromagucts2i} whereby the armatures ill: will tall by gravity and. agaii'lel'igaging the said contact points 38 and 39.

IZOTEGlllDg now to the means whereliiythe mechanism is electricallyoperated, the reference numeral 41:1. denotes one of the gear wheelslocated in the clock-work mechanism, which completes a full rotatiyemovement in a predetermined interval of time. in the present instance llprefer to utilize a gjgear wheel which will complete its revolution in arelative short period ;tor instance a period of halt an hour.

lrl ounted. upon the wheel 4:1, near the periphery thereof, is a post lPivotally mounted upon the trame Z 42, is a contact arm 44-, the outerend of which lies in the path oi? the post 4-2, so that said post willengage said. arm during the rotatiye movement oil the gear wheel ll. Thecontact arm ll is provided with a contact member 45, which cooperateswith an opposed contact member 46, carried. upon a spring 4L7, thelatter being mounted upon the insulating block 418, which is carriedupon the frame 3. A spring 49 connected with the arm 4st normally holdsthe latter in engagement with a fixed stop or abutment 50. By means oilthe construction just described, it will be noted that when the gearwheel 41 completes a rotatiye movement it will engage with. the arm n,thereby swinging the same and. causing the contact member 4:?) thereofto engage with the contact member {iii of the spring 47, and. that suchei'igagement will continue until the post 42 has been carried far enoughto permit it to slip over the end oi. the contact member lel. s nine 4:?meanwhile ieldin to I m h Cit permit of continued rotation. ol? the gearwheel 411.

Leading from the spring 47 and. electrically connected therewith, is awire 51, which connected wit-l1 a source of electrical supply 52, whichmay be an ordinary dry cell battery. A wire 53 connects the oppositeside of the battery with one terminal 54: of. the electromagnets 27, theopposite terminal 5o oi. which is connected as by means oi the wire 56with the contact member 38.

It will. be noted. that the frame &O, which carries the contact point39, grounded to the mechanism oi the clock, and that the arm 44, whichco-operates with the post- 42, upon the gear wheel 41, likewise groundedto the mechanism oi the clock. Thus it will be 'cen that when the post4-2 swin the arm ll; to engage the contact members to and all), the"following circuit will be completed:

Througl 1. the spring l1? wire 51. to battery, 'il'Oll'l battery to thewire 53, through the clectromagnets 27. then through the wire 56, fromcontact member 38, then through the arm all), through its grmuidedconnection with the mechanism, back to the arm a l.

Figure 2 of the drawings shows the parts in normal. position, that is tosay, the free end of the spring lies in engagement with an insulatingblock 57, carried by the wheel or disk 33.

The closing 01"? the circuit next above described will cause theelectromagnets 27 to vibrate the armature thereby opening and closingthe circuit between the contact points 88 and 39, whereby the leve 15will be vibrated, and causing the pawl 16 thereof to rotate the ratchetwheel 1%. This vibratory movement will continue until he post oi? thegear wheel. ll has disengaged. itself from the arm 4st. Belore thisoccurs, however, the wheel or disk 33 will. have been retated asullicient amount to carry the end oi? the contact spring 34: fromengagement with the insulating block 57 and in engagement with theperiphery ot the wheel 33, whereby the following circuit will be closed:

Through the spring member 34L, the wire 58, wire 51 to battery, thenthrough the he 53 to terminal. l'i-t ot the electromagnets. then throughterminal of said. magnets tl'nfoiugh the wire 56 to the contacti'neinber i S, then through the contact arm ill to ground, and backthrough ground. to the conta ct spring The closing; of this last named.circuit wilh by means of the electromagnetic 27, continue the vibratorymovement or the arn'iaturcs 2i. until the wheel or dislc 83 has beenrotated to a sutlicient extent to again. engage the end of the contactspring 3 1: to the insulating block i Thus it will. be seen. that thewind ing mech anism in i operatetl by the closii'ig o'l the circuitbetween the coi'itact points e15 and ll-(i and. that. said circuit isclosed for a sellicient time to permit the wheel 33 to be retated to asuliicient distance to permit the closing of the circuit between saidwheel and the contact spring 34, and that thereafter the circuit will becontinually closed until the wheel 88 has completed revolution, and thecircuit again opened by the engagement of the contact spring 31 with theinsulating block 57.

It will accordingly be seen that I have provided a construction adaptedto attain, among others, all the ends and objects above pointed out, inan extremely simple yet eflicient manner and whereby the clock wilautomatically re-wind itself at predetermined intervals insuring aneven. tension oi the main spring. By reason of the fact that thearmature has no positive engagement with the end of the core, there-winding operation is substantially noiseless. It will be understoodthat in accordance with the present construction the armatures 2. whenthe electromagnets are (ls-energized, fall to their normal position bygravity. Springs may be utilized in this connection, ii desired.

As many changes could be made in this construction without departingfrom the scope of the following claim, it is intended that all mattercontained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawingshall be interpretedas illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

In a clock, the combination of a train of gearing, a spring mounted on ashaft to operate said train, an electromagnet, a pair of circultsthrough a source of electrical energy connected to sald electromagnet,an

armature for said electro-magnet, a ratchet wheel to rotate said shaftto wind said spring, a pawl actuated by said armature through linkage torotate said ratchet wheel, a circuit breaker for said circuits actuatedby the movement of said armature to the attracted Position, a springheld arm operable by a gear of said train to connect said source ofenergy to said electromagnet, and to break said connection by therotation of said gear upon partial winding of saidspring, and a discmounted upon said shaft, means to contact with said disc to maintain theconnection of said electromagnet with said source of power through theother of said circuits to complete said winding, and means to cause saidfirst named means to be made ineffective upon completion ofsaid winding.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of twoWitnesses.

CHARLES E. BOILLOT. Witnesses:

I EMMA l/VEINBERG, ALBERT HAMER.

